Modi to hold Varanasi rally on May 8, not stay on

BJP's PM candidate Narendra Modi will address just one rally in Varanasi – the second constituency from where he is contesting these elections – on May 8 and may not even relocate his base to the holy city that goes to polls on May 12.

BJP's PM candidate Narendra Modi will address just one rally in Varanasi – the second constituency from where he is contesting these elections – on May 8 and may not even relocate his base to the holy city that goes to polls on May 12.

Party sources told HT they had explored the possibility of capping Modi's nationwide campaign with a big bang rally of the BJP and NDA leaders in Varanasi on May 10. But the idea apparently did not click with Modi. BJP leaders, however, said the proposal was still being considered by the party’s top brass.

Earlier, BJP leaders were looking at the possibility of Modi staying in Varanasi for a couple of days towards the end of campaigning for the last round of polling to boost the local party workers’ morale.

On May 8, Modi will also address rallies in Azamgarh, which has Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav in the fray, and in Rohaniya, Lalganj and Chandauli constituencies in the vicinity of Varanasi.

“He has three rallies in Bihar and two in Uttar Pradesh on May 9. On May 10, the last day for campaigning in the ongoing elections, Modi will be in eastern UP. The time crunch may not allow him to be in Varanasi for a longer period,” a BJP leader said.

Modi had earlier addressed a rally in Varanasi in December and held a road show while filing his nomination as the BJP candidate from the city.